J Dilla - Reality Check ft. Black Thought

When you’re dealing with the legacy of a late musical legend, there’s always the lingering, often unanswerable question of, “Is this what he (or she) would have wanted?” Though iconic producer J. Dilla‘s unreleased catalog has been the subject of considerable controversy, the forthcoming Jay Stay Paid raises no such ethical dilemmas; executive produced by the revered beatsmith’s own mother, Maureen Yancey, and respected colleague Pete Rock, the project couldn’t be in better hands. This new cut finds The Roots’ Black Thought (one of a few guest features on the largely instrumental album) delivering a lyrical Reality Check; as the emcee skewers the trash-TV icons who distract so many Americans from the social, economic, and political injustices occurring at home and abroad, his flow proves a pitch-perfect complement to Dilla’s propulsive, guitar-sampling beat. In addition to pleasing the producer’s longtime fans, the combination should hook newcomers in anticipation of the album’s June 2nd release.